1. Field of the Invention
A tablet based kiosk to house and support a tablet and card swipe or scanner to receive and transmit data or information to a remote site.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Personal computers are carried universally for the convenience of individual users. Such personal computers or tablets dedicated for a specific use may be employed with docking stations, in malls or other public locations to receive and transmit data to a remote site or sites.
Unfortunately, conventional docking stations generally do not have a means to secure the personal computer. Since such computers are not locked to the docking station, the personal computers are easily removed from the docking stations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,393 shows a donation kettle that permits a contributor to make a donation comprising a display, keyboard, a surface for collecting a cash donation, a credit card and/or debit card donation processor. The donation kettle associates a donation with an account of a contributor, tallies information regarding a number of donations, and stores information regarding a donation, and a plurality of donations. The donation kettle is part of a donation kettle network which consists of a donation kettle, a terminal, and a communication link between the donation kettle and the terminal.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,079,384 relates to a portable computer and docking station locking structure in which the docking station has a lock provided inside the support arm controlled by a key. The portable computer has a lock hole in the back side adapted to receive the swivel locking member of the lock for enabling the portable computer to be locked to the docking station after setting of the portable computer in the support arm of the docking station.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,182,426 discloses a diagnostic system comprising a tablet type electronic device for ultrasonic diagnosis with docking station for mounting the electronic device. The docking station includes a receptacle section against which one side of the electronic device comes into abutment when mounting the electronic device and a hold-down section for holding down the electronic device releasably on the side opposite to the one side when mounting the electronic device.
US 2005/0213298 shows a docking station for a tablet computer comprising a docking assembly for positioning with three degrees of freedom and having a data connector for mechanically supporting and interfacing with the tablet computer. A support member couples the cradle assembly to an expansion base.
US 2006/0148575 shows an entertainment system comprising a video system having a video monitor and a video source, and a cradle secured within an automobile. The cradle is shaped and dimensioned for selectively receiving and securely holding the video system.
US 2006/0221565 discloses an ultra thin tablet computer and docking station system with an edge mounted battery with an optional extended battery.
US 2011/0192681 discloses a kiosk configured to accept a plurality of different types of connections corresponding to a plurality of different types of customer media. In one example, the kiosk includes a mount; a computer in a first position on the mount including a touchscreen, a card reader, and a processor; a storage medium coupled to the processor containing content; and a content transfer device coupled to the processor. The content transfer device is configurable to include at least one connection of a plurality of different types of connections corresponding to a plurality of different types of customer media. The kiosk further includes a panel in a second position on the mount adjacent to the computer including at least one connection mounting location, and the at least one connection is removably mounted to the panel at the connection mounting location. The processor stores the content in the storage medium, operates the touch screen to display a menu of the content and to record selections made by a customer from the menu, operates the card reader to read a payment card of the customer as payment for content associated with the customer selections, and transfers the content associated with the customer selections to a removable storage medium of the customer.
Additional examples of the prior art are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,952; U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,366; U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,825; U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,794; U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,052; U.S. Pat. No. 8,160,922; US 2007/0244810; US 2008/0033855; US 2008/0195532; US 2008/0195533; US 2010/0312658; US 2012/0022955; US 2012/0185314 and US 2012/0232980.
While some of the prior art may contain some similarities relating to the present invention, none teach, suggest or include all of the advantages and unique features of the invention disclosed hereafter.